

COPPÉLIA
AT THE ANIMATRONIC PIZZA ARCADE

COPPÉLIA AT THE ANIMATRONIC PIZZA ARCADE
Book and Lyrics by Kit Goldstein Grant
Music by Lucas Hal-Jones
A short musical, inspired by the ballet Coppélia, libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter
Small - Medium Cast: 2m, 1f - Expanded Cast Optional
Running Time: 45 minutes
Coppélia at the Animatronic Pizza Arcade is an adaptation of the 19th-century French ballet Coppélia, set in a 1985 Chuck E. Cheese-style animatronic pizza arcade, Charlie Cheddar’s.
Hilda and Franz are tweens who have been friends since childhood. It is Franz’s 12th birthday today, and he’s having a party at Charlie Cheddar’s - and the only person who showed up is Hilda.
A lovely ballet dancer, Coppélia, performs as a human guest star in the animatronic show. Franz declares her the “perfect girl, and instantly falls in love with her. He asks Hilda to be a pal and approach Coppélia for him. Hilda goes backstage and discovers that Coppélia is, in fact, actually an animatronic as well. Shocker!
Hilda comes back to tell Franz, and discovers that the person disguised as pizza rat Charlie Cheddar is actually ballet-enthusiast and mad scientist Dr. Coppélius! He’s drugged Franz and is about to steal Franz’s soul - using a complicated soul-stealing machine - in order to bring Coppélia to life!
Hilda must use her wits to save Franz - and herself - while sorting out what it means to be the “perfect” girl.
This short musical is fast-paced and fun, while dealing with larger themes of discovering and maintaining your own true identity.
ABOUT THE SHOW
DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY

Verse-Intro Cabaret, SoHo Playhouse, New York, NY - Cabaret performance of selected scenes & songs, November 2025
Theater Now NY Musical Writers Lab, New York, NY - Presentations, Readings and Master Classes throughout 2024 - 2026
The Playground Experiment, New York, NY - Reading March, 2025
Verse Intro Cabaret at the SoHo Playhouse, New York, NY
Performed by Amanda Harris, Sam Hoffman, Nino Ruggeri
Musical Direction by Jonathon Lynch
SELECTED SONGS

Verse Intro Cabaret at the SoHo Playhouse, New York, NY
Performed by Amanda Harris, Sam Hoffman, Nino Ruggeri
Musical Direction by Jonathon Lynch




